Current Affairs Posts - Page 10

Alan Rusbridger, editor of The Guardian, is being threatened by British police over "potential" terrorism charges for publishing the incriminating NSA and GCHQ documents that NSA whistleblower, Edward Snowden, leaked.

Rusbridger testified in front of a British parliamentary committee on Tuesday, where lawmakers pushed the suggestion that the Guardian helped terrorists, just because the British paper revealed UK and US spy agency 'secrets'. Rusbridger stood his ground, stating that the government spying going on all around the world should be of public knowledge.

The Guardian editor said: "We have published I think 26 documents out of the 58,000 we've seen, or 58,000 plus. So we have made very selective judgments about what to print. We have published no names and we have lost control of no names."

Critics are comparing the current spy scandals and "terrorism" charges against the infamous anti-communism hearing which were conducted by US Senator Joseph McCarthy during the Cold War. Ben Emmerson, the UN special rapporteur on counter-terrorism, said: "The astonishing suggestion that this sort of journalism can be equated with aiding and abetting terrorism needs to be scotched decisively. Attacking the Guardian is an attempt to do the bidding of the services themselves, by distracting attention from the real issues. It is the roles of a free press to hold government to account, and yet there have even been outrageous suggestions from some conservative MPs that the Guardian should face a criminal investigation."

Some people thrive on the adrenalin rush that comes from fighting the hoards of turkey stuffed shoppers on Black Friday, but there are those of us who play it smart and enjoy the weekend after Thanksgiving and never enter a store. That is because we know that the biggest deals of the year come with the massive online sales that Cyber Monday brings.

I took a few moments this morning to round up what I think may be some of the best deals on the web today. Everything from mobile phones to tablets, and even 3D Printers are listed, but some of the sales have limited stock and are a first come first serve kind of thing. Check out my picks for the best Cyber Monday deals after the jump.

ry thought: the combination to start an all-out nuclear war with the world, killing billions, up until 1977 at least, was 00000000. The stupidly simple code was chosen by Strategic Air Command, in an effort to make weapons as quick and easy to launch as possible.

John F Kennedy pushed for PAL (Permissive Action Link) encoding in 1962, which is a security device for nuclear weapons that is meant to prevent unauthorized arming or detonation of the nuclear weapon itself. JFK signed the National Security Agency Memorandum 160 in 1962, which required that all nuclear weapons be fitted with the security system.

Problem was, nuclear experts claim the military was worried that command centers and communication lines would be destroyed in a true nuclear war, which would stop soldiers getting the codes to launch nuclear missiles when they were actually needed. This forced the action of reducing the code to something that is very simple: 00000000.

Black Friday is quickly approaching and information on various retailers sales is beginning to pour in. Today GameStop announced that it has hired 17,000 more people to help staff its stores on Friday, and has also released its Black Friday sale list. The list may not be very large, but for those of you lucky enough to get into a GameStop early enough, massive savings await.

Unfortunately none of the next-generation consoles are on the list, but you could score an Xbox 360, or PS3 both with 250GB HDDs for just $250 each. Alternatively, Battlefield 4 will be on sale for just $24.99 which equates to more than half off of its MSRP. A Sophix 7-inch Android tablet will be on hand for just $70 as well.

PDXLAN is a West Coast Mecca of LAN parties, usually with 500 PC gamers from all across the United States and Canada. They come together and game for four days straight. On November 8, 2013, 400 PDXLAN gamers donate over 37,000 Lbs of food to local charities thanks to a sponsorship from Thermaltake for the November charity event.

Gamers are always considered to be aggressive or violent by the media because of the games they play, but thanks to PDXLAN many unfortunate families can receive meals this holiday season. Matt "Vector" Conwell the PDXLAN Owner and Organizer says "Gamers Give Back." This act of kindness demonstrates that the gaming community is full of amazing people that care.

Today reports have surfaced that state that the FDA has ordered the Google backed startup 23andMe to immediately cease and desist all sales of its DNA testing kits. The ban on sales is the result of the company failing to obtain "marketing clearance or approval" from federal regulators to sell its product.

The company sells a "DNA Spit Kit" that is used to test a customers DNA and then reports on over 250 health conditions, traits and other genetic identifiers that one might have, or be susceptible to. In a statement, the FDA said that it "is concerned about the public health consequences of inaccurate results from the PGS device. The main purpose of compliance with FDA's regulatory requirements is to ensure that the tests work."

In response 23andMe had the following to say. "We recognize that we have not met the FDA's expectations regarding timeline and communication regarding our submission. Our relationship with the FDA is extremely important to us and we are committed to fully engaging with them to address their concerns."

This morning Apple announced that it will be participating in the madness that we like to call Black Friday. The announcement came unofficially via a page spotted by 9To5Mac on the company's Australian website, which has also gone live on the New Zealand Apple website.

Unfortunately, the pages do not offer any insight into what products may be discounted, or what accessories may be on sale. The image does say that Apple will offer free shipping for online purchases, and does allude to in-store deals. The add also specifically mentions the iPhone and features an image of an iPad Air, so it is a safe bet that at least the iPhone 5C and iPad Air will be discounted. Then again, this is Apple, so there could be no discounts at all.

Elon Musk has had a rough few weeks with the media frenzy over his company's flagship Model S electric vehicle catching fire after collisions with roadway debris, but some good news has arisen for the billionaire entrepreneur. Musk has been chosen as Fortune Magazine's Businessperson of the Year.

Musk not only own Tesla Motors, but he is also the owner and founder of the private space travel company Space X, and is the largest shareholder of SolarCity. Musk made his fortune when he sold PayPal to online auction giant, Ebay, and unlike other billionaires, he has invested not only his money, but his time into technological company's that are aimed at changing the world for the better. Bloomberg list Musk as being worth $7.7 billion which is far off from Mark Zuckerberg's $19 billion, but wealth does little to earn the title, and it is his his personality, audacity and tenacity that landed him the top spot.

Back in 2011 when Steve Jobs first released renderings of its future headquarters in Cupertino, California, the entire tech world was taken back at the sheer beauty of what the new campus might look like. Fast forward two years and the structure has gained approval of the Cupertino City Council, who has just released new highly detailed renderings of what the structure will look like.

Affectionately known as the "Spaceship," the new campus is the definition of modern design, and contemporary minimalism. The new renderings show a very open workspace that is designed to promote co-working, and environmentally friendly construction. Images depict cheery trees blossoming, and plant covered walls in the parking structure. Courtyards are packed with employees chatting, eating, and collaborating, while the main reception desk looks like the control center for the spaceship.

I may not be much of an Apple fan, but as someone who appreciates fine architectural and minimalistic design, this new campus is truly a thing of beauty. If the end result is anything like these new renderings, I can not wait to visit for a tour. More of the high-detail renderings can be found at the source link below. What do you think about Apple's "Spaceship" campus? Is it an example of modern design, or just a big waste of money? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

The mysterious floating barges being built by Google are a mystery no more. A new report from CBS San Francisco cites sources who claim the floating structures are actually "Dazzling Showrooms" that are being designed to showcase the Google's X line of products. Furthering the mysterious feel, the sources say that the showroom will be open by invite only.

The floating showrooms are being constructed of over 40 interchangeable shipping containers which have been built with a modular design that will allow Google to ship them around the world and truck them over land to bring the attraction to more than just coastal communities. Other reports suggest that the the entire roof will be fashioned into a party deck where Google will host launch parties for VIPs and members of the media.